Quarterback prospects Shedeur Sanders and Tyler Huntley are set to take the field in the Brown's preseason opener.
The Cleveland Browns are set to kick off their preseason schedule against the Carolina Panthers in Charlotte, North Carolina, with rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel set to make his debut as the frontrunner to start the game.
Gabriel, who was selected by the Browns in the third round of the draft from Oregon, is expected to start if he is healthy, after Coach Kevin Stefanski indicated that the plan was always to give both Gabriel and Kenny Pickett, another rookie, a start in the preseason.
However, Pickett and Gabriel are both nursing hamstring injuries and will not play in the preseason opener. This leaves Shedeur Sanders, another rookie quarterback, and Tyler Huntley as the only two quarterbacks expected to play against the Panthers.
Sanders, who was selected by the Browns in the fifth round from Colorado, was initially set to start the first preseason game but suffered an oblique injury. Despite this setback, Coach Stefanski confirmed that Sanders will start the second preseason game.
Sanders had a strong performance in the first preseason game, but his injury has opened the door for Gabriel to make his debut. Gabriel started five games last season with the Miami Dolphins, replacing an injured Tua Tagovailoa. He has a record of 2-3, completing 86 of 133 pass attempts for 829 yards with three touchdowns and three interceptions.
Joe Flacco, a 40-year-old veteran quarterback, is also in the mix for playing time and the eventual starting role. Flacco, who is already known to the coaching staff, is reportedly favored to win the starting job for the regular season and played in the second half of the first preseason game.
Coach Stefanski has not finalized the regular-season starter yet but is starting to think about it. Multiple reports suggest that Flacco will be the regular-season starter when the Browns open against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 7.
Despite the competition for the starting role, Sanders' strong performance in the first preseason game and Gabriel's readiness have made it likely that one of them will start the second preseason game against the Carolina Panthers. The Browns will be looking to build on their success from last season and continue their momentum into the preseason and beyond.
Dillon Gabriel, the rookie quarterback selected by the Cleveland Browns, is expected to make his debut as the frontrunner to start the game against the Carolina Panthers, if he recovers from his hamstring injury. Coach Kevin Stefanski had initially planned to give both Gabriel and Kenny Pickett a start in the preseason. However, Pickett and Gabriel's injuries have caused them to miss the preseason opener. Shedeur Sanders, another rookie quarterback, and Tyler Huntley are the only two quarterbacks expected to play against the Panthers. Sanders, who was initially set to start the first preseason game but suffered an oblique injury, will start the second preseason game instead. The competition for the starting role is intense, with veteran quarterback Joe Flacco also in the mix. Reports suggest that Flacco will be the regular-season starter when the Browns open against the Cincinnati Bengals on September 7. The Browns' success in American football, particularly in the NFL, hinges on their performance in preseason games like this one, as they aim to build on their success from last season.
